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“Holy shit!” Dana squealed before the door buzzed, and I held it open for McKenna to enter ahead of me.
The display room was indicative of the company’s status. Plush maroon carpet with expensive rugs, and cream walls with gleaming cherrywood accents. Dropped lights that hung over the multiple circle-shaped, glass display cases. They illuminated the jewelry at just the right angle, making it sparkle like it was lit up from the inside.
“You didnotjust tell me you are engaged!” Dana screeched as she hurried toward us, looking perfect as always, with her coiffed silver hair, robin’s egg blue pantsuit, and elegant diamonds in her ears and around her neck.
I grinned and wrapped my arm around McKenna’s shoulders. “I sure as fuck did.”
Dana was the manager of Linc’s Malibu store and had been for the last twenty years. Before that, she’d worked in several of his other locations, working her way up. She was nearing her sixties, and Linc had frequently lamented over what he’d do when she retired.
“Dana, this is my McKenna.” I dropped my eyes to my girl and almost laughed when I saw the look of relief on her face as she stared at the older woman. She’d been jealous.
“Baby, this is Dana. She’s the manager and has been after me to settle down since the day we met. I think she has grandbaby fever.”
Dana huffed and patted her hair. “I do not. But for the love of all that is holy, will one of the young bucks in my life settle down and make me a grandmother?”
McKenna giggled, and I smiled at her. “Dana has four boys, none of which are married. So she keeps hoping one of us will do the deed.”
“No pressure, dear,” Dana said to McKenna with a chuckle as she stepped closer to give her a hug. “I’m very happy for the both of you.” She hugged me as well, then stepped back and beamed at us.
“Thanks,” I replied with a grin as I pulled McKenna even tighter into my side. “Now I just need a ring that tells the whole world she’s mine.”
Dana’s eyes twinkled, and she smirked. “I have just the thing.”
We followed her to a glass display counter on the left side of the room. The white velvet interior showcased engagement rings of every size, shape, and color.
McKenna looked a little overwhelmed, so I moved her in front of me and slipped my arms around her waist, pulling her back against my chest and resting my chin on her head. “See anything you like, baby?”
“Um…”
Dana winked at her and unlocked one of the cases, withdrawing a velvet box that held rows of rings and set it before us. “How about this one? The heart-shaped white diamond is just over six carats, but the total weight with the two side stones is closer to six and a half. The main stone has an excellent clarity rating, and the band is eighteen karat gold.” She held it out, and McKenna glanced up at me, her mouth open and her eyes wide with shock.
“Why don’t you try it on?” I suggested.
“It’s huge,” she whisper-yelled, making me laugh.
“Exactly. Every man who sees you will know you belong to me.” I winked, and she rolled her eyes.
“You’re kind of a caveman, you know that?”
Dana laughed, drawing our attention. She smiled and shook her head. “Just like my Brian. No wonder you’re such good friends with my boys. I have no doubt that when they finally fall in love, they will be just as possessive and obsessed as their father.”
I shrugged and held my hand out, waiting until she placed the ring in my palm. Then I grasped McKenna’s wrist and slipped the diamond on her finger.
McKenna stared at it for a bit, then she twisted her hand around and tested the weight. “It’s kind of heavy. And six carats? That’s really expensive, Jeremy. It must be tens of thousands of dollars.”
I chuckled as she slipped the ring off her finger and handed it to me. “More like half a million,” I remarked. McKenna gasped and dropped the jewelry into my hand like it was on fire.
She grabbed my sleeve and tugged until I followed her a few feet away. “You can’t spend that kind of money on a ring! At least, not for me. You can spend whatever you want on your real fiancée.”
As she marched back to the counter, my lips curled up in a satisfied smile. I didn’t think she was aware that she’d flinched when she said “real fiancée.” Her body definitely wasn’t immune to me, and some part of her was already starting to accept the truth. Perhaps it wouldn’t take as long as I’d thought for her to realize this was real and she was mine.
Dana watched us carefully as we returned, her head tilted to the side as she contemplated something. “Wait right here. I think I have the perfect ring for you, my dear.”
She exited the circle of display cases and hurried to a door closed off by a deep-red velvet curtain. It was less than a minute before she emerged again, holding a little box. Her expression was filled with delight as she went around the counter again and set the item on the glass.
“This ring just came in today.” She took the lid off and removed a black ring box with the Kennedy Diamonds logo embossed in gold. “The center diamond is two carats, but with the smaller ones, the total weight is three. I just love the floral design.” She sighed and her expression was a little dreamy as she held it out for me to take.
The ring was rose gold, and the stone in the center was round and there were four smaller diamonds surrounding it in a square shape. Below those was a blooming rose, then another pattern of smaller stones.
